With all the media hype about E cigarettes I was just wondering what most companies are adopting as policy. Is it something that companies are adopting in their smoking policy or are companies concerned with some of the cigarettes that require charging and the potential for fires etc.

Has anyone seen any papers from HSE,IOSH,RoSPA,IIRSM etc with any guidance.

Posted:
Fri May 16, 2014 10:20 am
This is something that has been discussed quite a bit on the IOSH forum. General consensus is that it is not a health and safety issue but a 'company' decision, and this could vary depending on your workplace - our company have taken the decision that they are not permitted indoors and have to be smoked at the designated smoking area. If you are customer facing would you really want your staff to be puffing on an e-cig whilst serving customers? or would you like to be served by someone using one of these devices? It is about professionalism and image. On the other hand if you are in a high risk environment would you want an employee concentrating on their e-cig rather than on the job in hand? Some companies won't allow them for hygiene/clinical reasons. If you are office based with no customer contact and no visitors then a company may say it is acceptable but I have not come across any, to date, that allow this.

I think until there is more research done on them and the vapours discharged it will be open to debate and interpretation.

Tracey

M.WaitExecutive Committee

Joined: Mar 22, 2011
Posts: 211
Location: South Yorkshire

Posted:
Fri May 16, 2014 11:27 am
Thanks Tracey

The main concern I have is with the whole concept of the E Cigarette. we have adopted a similar approach with regards to smoking and included this in our induction programme, but there have been a number of media reports about these things exploding. There are a number of legitimate companies that have popped up around the area selling these, however I have also seen a number of street vendors that could be selling cheaper versions of them.

I think it's one to watch for the future. Thanks for the reply and I'll have a look on the ASH website

Posted:
Mon Jul 14, 2014 3:15 pm
We don't treat them any differently at present, but one thing that I have noticed personally is that people are getting 'bolder' with where and when they use them.
_________________Trying to bring a sense of proportion to all of this.

B.TranmerExecutive Committee

Joined: May 15, 2008
Posts: 32
Location: South Yorkshire

Posted:
Mon Jul 14, 2014 3:59 pm
As a company we have incorporated all these devices into our smoking at work policy and have in essence classified them the same as cigarettes. I acknowledge that under current legislation it is not illegal to use them in an indoor environment but we felt it a logical move and easier to manage and to my knowledge we have had no opposition.
The concerns I have with these devices centre around electrical safety and COSHH. I personally was shown a bottle of a substance used in a "vaporiser" that was labeled as toxic!!
Ben
_________________Health Safety & Environment Manager
Alcontrol Laboratories | Rotherham

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